Cape CopCast

When a child with autism wanders away from safety, every second counts. Now, thanks to Florida's new Spectrum Alert system, there's a structured response that could save lives.

In this episode of the Cape CopCast, the Cape Coral Police Department  welcomes Family Initiative Vice President Anjali Van Drie and Director of Community Development Stephanie Hoffman to discuss this crucial safety development. Family Ini...

Crime is down 28% in Cape Coral, and in this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' we're breaking down exactly how it happened. Despite our growing population and increasing calls for service, we've achieved remarkable reductions across both violent and property crime categories while maintaining solvability rates well above national averages.

What's our secret? Chief Anthony Sizemore sa...

School is almost back in session and the RedSpeed school zone cameras will be rolling!

Join hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds as they welcome Chief Sizemore for a straightforward conversation about the RedSpeed school zone cameras returning on August 11th.

Think of this as your essential back-to-school refresher – except instead of school supplies and new clothes, we're talking about keeping kids safe o...

FTO Coordinator Sergeant Gerry Buonocore joins the Cape CopCast to take us behind the scenes of the Cape Coral Police Department's comprehensive training program, revealing the journey from recruit to fully-qualified officer. With eleven years on SWAT, experience as an undercover Narcotics Detective, and now serving as the department's Field Training Officer Coordinator, Sergeant Buonocore brings unique perspective to the...

The Cape Coral Police Department's Honor Guard stands as the living embodiment of law enforcement tradition and respect. Sergeant Joe Zalenski and Officer Steven Klakowicz pull back the curtain on this specialized unit in this episode of the Cape CopCast.

Described as wearing "the tuxedo of police uniforms," these officers serve as the formal representation of the Cape Coral Police Department at events rangi...

When it comes to building and maintaining an exceptional police force, the details matter. Cape Coral Police Department has just scored a major victory for its Telecommunications team by securing competitive pay for dispatchers - the culmination of a years-long effort to properly value these essential first responders.

In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Sizemore breaks down how dispatc...

What happens when the people who respond to everyone else's worst moments need help themselves? In this episode of Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Anthony Sizemore brings us inside the cultural transformation at Cape Coral Police Department, where officer wellness has evolved from a taboo topic decades ago to an organizational priority.

The stark reality of law enforcement creates a unique mental hea...

The latest episode of the Cape Copcast welcomes Property Crimes Unit Detective Jenna Newton, who takes listeners on an eye-opening journey from the high-crime streets of Las Vegas to the canals of Cape Coral. Her story shows the contrasts between policing environments—trading two robberies per night and constant gang surveillance for unlocked garage doors and watchful neighbors.

Detective Newton's path wasn't alw...

A legal loophole exposed by a recent school threat case in Cape Coral has sparked an urgent conversation about public safety and legislative reform. When an individual made a verbal threat that was subsequently recorded and posted online, the Cape Coral Police Department was able to charge the person who shared the video, but not the person who actually made the threatening statements.

In this week's episode of the Ca...

What happens when police identify a school threat but face unexpected legal barriers to filing the charges the public expects? Chief Anthony Sizemore sits down with Host Lisa Greenberg and takes listeners behind the scenes of a recent case that sparked community confusion and outrage.

When two young adults were involved in the creation and posting of a disturbing video where one specifically threatened to shoot up a local ...

Have you ever heard of a Crime Analyst? Join us on the Cape CopCast as we explore their role in solving and preventing crime with Hannah Esham.

She talks to hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds about how Crime Analysts use the Tactical Intelligence and Analytics Center to work closely with detectives. Hannah offers an insider's perspective on how analysts provide invaluable support to detectives, using to...

What does real police de-escalation look like? In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Anthony Sizemore breaks down body camera footage of a potentially deadly encounter that ended peacefully thanks to crisis intervention training and compassionate policing.

When Cape Coral officers responded to a home in which parents had been assaulted by their adult son on the autism spectrum, they faced...

In this edition of the Cape CopCast "Chief's Chat," Chief Sizemore breaks down the science behind prioritizing police response and staffing in this transparent, informative discussion about department operations.

Using a simple visual metaphor of "tennis balls in buckets," the Chief explains how the department allocates officers across the city's four geographical quadrants. Each quadrant (or ...

Join us as we shine a light on two of the remarkable women making a difference in our community—Christine Seymour, a Victim Assistance Coordinator, and Brandi Tucker, a Victim Advocate. Their work within the Cape Coral Police Department is nothing short of essential, offering a lifeline to victims of domestic violence, traffic homicides, house fires and beyond. On this episode of the Cape CopCast, they share their heartfelt stories...

In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' we explore the introduction of Red Speed cameras in school zones throughout Cape Coral. With safety as our main priority, this initiative aims to enhance protection for children during critical drop-off and pick-up times. We talk to Chief Sizemore about how these speed cameras function, capturing violations and issuing civil penalties to drivers who exceed speed lim...

Have you ever wondered what we do with money seized from criminal investigations? 

Join us as we reveal some of the cutting-edge innovations coming to the Cape Coral Police Department, funded entirely by forfeiture money. Hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds chat with Chief Anthony Sizemore about how new high water vehicles and advanced AI-powered forensic accounting software are changing the game. These strategic inves...

In this episode of the Cape CopCast, step into the life of K9 Officer Travis Harrison and his remarkable K9 partner, Van. Discover firsthand how Travis evolved from a professional baseball player, to working in real estate, to a patrol officer, to now a dedicated K9 handler.

Officer Harrison sits down with hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds to talk about the rigorous yet fascinating process of selecting and training p...

In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' we're going deeper into new city ordinances aimed at enhancing public safety with Chief Anthony Sizemore.

Hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds explore the success of a new ordinance targeting outdoor camping on public property, focusing on the balance between providing resources to those in need and maintaining public order. With an emphasis on supp...

In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' we're talking about the child abduction investigation and the 13-year-old arrested for armed robbery.

Hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds sit down with Chief Sizemore to discuss the role of social media in alerting the public of an incident, the importance of prioritizing accuracy and confirmed information while remaining timely in communicating wi...